Method of controlling the processing of materials



Dec. 18, 1928. T 1,695,738

. M. MUELLER METHOD OF CONTROLLING THE PROCESSING OF MATERIALS Filed Nov. 9, 1927 I N VEN TOR.

ATTORNEY5 i atented Dec. 18, 1928.

' ire stares PATENT "or rice.

ivronirz L. ELLER. or-sEaTrLn, wAsirINeaJoN, .nssrenon "r0 nonrnwnsr BLOWIEB Kim: COMPANY, or ,nORmL'ANn, OREGON, A CORPORATION OF WASHINGTON.

7 METHOD OF CONTROLLING" min PROcnssrNe FNATERIAIQS.

Application filed November-9,f1 927. Serial No. 232,094.

This invention relates'to a method of controlling the processing of materials subject to shrinl-Iage or swelling during treatment, and it has for its objectto'control the treatment accorded such material in accordance with the degree of shrinkage or swelling. In many industrial processes materials being treated are subjected to variations of temperature, moisture, drying,-etc., ihsuch manner that the material is caused to shrink or swell. For example, when lumber is-being driedshrinkageofthe woo'dis in close relation to its moisturecontent changes, and thus the degree of shrinkage acts as a'reliable index as to when the drying should" be discontinued or changed. 7

According to the present invention, a method is provided whereby the shrinking or swelling of the material being treated operates to close an electric-circuit for'the purpose of energizing asignal or perating control mechanism by which'the treatment of the material may be automatically changed. In the lumberseasoningprocesses in common use, the timeof terminating or changing the drying processes is determined by weighing-samples ofthe drying'wood. P This is inconvenient, because it requires a person to enter a hot drying chamber, and it is ineilicient because considerable time elapses before the result of the weighingis obtainable. During this elapse'd time harm may be" done to the niaterial being treated. -The method of the present invention s useful in any processwherei.n shrinkage or swelling of the material is involved, and wherein [there is a definite relation between' theamount of shrinkage or swelling and'the-process.

In the'accompanying drawing, 1' have 'dia-' grammatically illustrated One"form or ap paratus which may beutilize'd inpracticing the niethod'ofthc present invention. How ever, it is to be understood that the illustration of this apparatus is merely for purposes explaining the method, since it is clear that the method may be carried out in many different ways.

In the drawing:

1 is a plan View,

Fig. 2 is a side view, and

Fig. 3 an end view of an apparatus adapted for use in the practice of the method.

Fig. 4 is a diagrammatic view, illustratinga plurality of t 'e mechanisms of Figure 1,

connected in series for a be hereina fter described.

Like numerals designate corresponding partsin all of the figures of the drawing.

In the drawing 1 designates a base plate which may be provided with a cover (not shown). A bellv crank lever comprising a short arm2, and a long arm 2 is'pivoted at 3 upon'the base, and carries a prong 1 which projects downwardly from the outer end of the short arm 2 ofthe lever. The extremity of thelong arm 2 of the levercar riesa-n elece trical contact point 5, which cO-acts with an electrical contact -point'6,'that is supported by-moans'of a springit'ongue7 from a swinging lever 8,-said lever being pivoted-at 8 to thebase 1. The outer portion of-the lever 8 moves through a slot 9 formed in the end wall or the casing constituting the base, said end wall bein raduatedas indicated at 10. The

contact'point 5 is connected bya conductor 11, with one side of an element 12, and the ether side of this element 12 is connected by will be seen that whenever the contact points 5 and 6 touch eachother a circuit'will be comp'leted to energize element 12. This element maybe either a visual signal, suchas an electric lightyanaudible signal, such as a bell, oracontrolling device, such as in one of the well knownelectrically operated valves pur :chasable upon the open market, and which may control'st'eam, compressed air, water or any other liquid orgas used in thetreatment of the materialbein'g processed. 1 3

A piece of the material being :treatedis indicated at 16,"and+when"the invention is to "be'rpracticed thestructure;illustrated is placed upon the :m'aterial 16, the prong 4 being. en-

gaged with said material along :with fixed purpose which will prongs 17 of the base. The prongs 17 hold the casing or base in fixed position with rela tion to the material 16. The arrangement illustrated is one adapted to control the process under the influence O1. shrinkage. If

the process is to be controlled under the in fluence of swelling, it would Only-be necessary to put the contact 6 upon the Opposite side of the arm 2 As the, material shrinks the pin 4 is moved toward the left in Figures 1 and 2 to swing the long arm Oi the bell eranklever toward and to bring contact point 5 into engagement with contact point 6, thereby completing the circuit as aforesaid.

In order to avoid any binding, due to the movement of the pin 4, upon an arc, said pin may be made of such flexibility as to be slightly yieldable laterally. By mounting the contact pin 6 on a movable and definitely settable lever 7, I am able to provide for a variety of materials which will shrink different amounts, or to provide for difi'erent amounts of shrinkage in the same material. The graduated scale 10 permits the setting of the lever 8, repeatedly at a selected point.

In carrying out the invention the degree of shrinkage of any given material bet-ween its original or green condition, and the final con.

dition at which the treatment is to be discontinued or changed, is determined. The lever arm 8 is then placed in such position, with respect to the scale, that its contact 6 will be touched by the contact 5, when the prong 4: has moved such determined distance. The reading of the scale 13 is noted at the time the treatment is started. The material is then treated or dried until the electric circuit is completed by the contact of points 5 and 6, at which time treatmentis discontinued. Repeated using of the scale may be made upon the same material without further experimentation, by a corresponding setting of the lever 8 at the beginning of each operation.

In Figure t I have illustrated three of the circuit closing devices of Figures 1 and 2, connected in series'and mounted upon three separate pieces of material to be treated. Ihis arrangement forms several gaps in the elec tric circuit and automatically selects the slowest sample oil": material to shrink or swell to the predetermined point, it being apparent that the whole circuit is completed only when all three of the gaps are closed. Or several scales setting on a single piece material, each set for a different amount oi shrinkage or swelling will show progressively when these conditions have been created.

Having described my invention, what I claim is: p

1. The herein described method of controlling the processing of material subject to shrinkage or swelling in its treatment, which consists oi? applying to said material, while under treatment an element operable under the influence of the variations in dimensions of the material, and varying the treatment accorded to said material in accordance with the movement of said element.

2. The herein described method of controlling the processing of material, which is subject to shrinkage or swelling in its treatment, which includes applying to said material an element operable under the change in dimensions of the material while being treated, and indicating by the movement of said element the time and nature of the steps to be taken in the treatment thereof.

3. The herein described method of automatically controlling the processing of material subject to shrinkage or swelling in its treatment, which consists of applying to the surface of said material an element operable under the influence of change of dimensions of said material, and utilizing the movement of said element to automatically operate a controlling device, by which the conditions to which the material is subjected are changed.

4;. The herein described method of controlling the drying of lumber, which consists of applying to said lumber an element operable under the influence of change in dimension of said lumber under shrinkage, and varying the conditions to which the lumber is subject ed in accordance with the movements of said element.

5. The herein described method of controlling the drying of lumber, which consists of applying to said lumber an element movable under change in dimension of said lumber under the influence of shrinkage and automatically controlling the conditions to which the lumber is, subjected in accordance with the movements of said element.

The-herein described method of controlling the drying ot'lumber in accordance with the rate of drying of the slowest drying of several pieces of lumber, which consists of applying to said several pieces elements arranged in series and automatically varying the conditions to which the lumber is subjected when the element of the slowest drying piece has been moved a predetermined degree. In testimony whereof I aiiix my signature. MORITZ L. MUELLER. I 

